05x12 - Strategic Ambiguity

[bunniefuu]

CONTROLLER: Contact Potomac Approach on 335.5.

Roger.

Descend and maintain 10,000, heading 2-7-0.

Pushing approach 335.5.

All right, Henry, you have the aircraft.

Roger that.

I have the aircraft.

You want to try a break turn to the right?

Roger that.

- Great flying with you, Squatch.

- You, too, Henry.

Hey, what was your call sign back in the day?

(CHUCKLES)

"Prophet," which sounds kind of cool, but it was not given for cool reasons, believe me.

Yeah, they never are.

Hairy feet, hence "Squatch." But hey, anything beats "Friggin' New Guy," right?

Right.

Hey, Congressman.

- Welcome back.

- Thanks.

CHAMPLIN: My friends, this is an exciting time.

The prototype F-40 fighter, which some of you folks have been lucky enough to take a ride in today is the future of our nation's air defense.

And thanks to the extraordinary capabilities of the F-40, that future looks bright indeed.

Thank you so much for coming.

Now let's enjoy ourselves.

You miss it, right?

Oh, brother, more than I want to admit.

(CHUCKLES)

I can't wait to get up there.

Hey, how's the plane?

Uh, you'll see.

I mean, some stuff is incredible.

But, uh, in terms of actual speed and maneuverability, eh, it's kind of a brick.

Some part of that brick is being manufactured in every district of every politician in this place, including mine.

So if he comes over here, do a Marine brother a favor and smile, would you?

Sure, Jeff.

DALTON: Bess.

We're, uh, having an issue with the F-40, and we could use your help.

Well, I hope it isn't too big of an issue, because Henry's flying in one as we speak.

BECKER: Nothing like that.

The F-40's an excellent plane.

(CHUCKLES): Oh, good.

- As you know, ten years ago, DOD placed an initial order of 80 F-40s from their manufacturer Fossor Industries.

We just received Fossor's latest budget estimate.

In order to manufacture the 80 planes and make it economically feasible during the agreed-upon timeline, Fossor needs to make an even hundred.

And, uh, how much do the extra 20 cost?

$3.6 billion.

Wow.

We're really gonna let them shake down the federal government like that?

No, I wouldn't call it a shakedown.

These types of cost overruns are a feature of defense contracting.

RUSSELL: Plus, the different components of the F-40 are assembled in 40% of all congressional districts nationwide.

Which partly explains the cost overruns, because logistically, that makes absolutely no sense.

But politically, it makes all kinds of sense.

They are the largest defense contractor in the world, so to answer your question, yes, we really are going to let them shake us down like that.

I-I wouldn't call it a shakedown, sir.

Where do I come in?

RUSSELL: We need to find a home for those extra 20 jets, somewhere among our friends and allies.

And we need to do it fast.

BECKER: You are no doubt aware of our pending sale of m*llitary equipment to Taiwan.

We were thinking of adding the F-40s to that package.

DALTON: We need State to perform an expedited review of the proposed sale.

We need you to convince Taiwan that buying the jets would be in their strategic interest.

All due respect, sir, it isn't in their strategic interest, or ours.

China's already angry about the existing arms sale.

It's pro forma posturing.

It happens every time.

Sure, but you tack on 20 next-gen fighter jets that can reach Beijing in an hour?

Oh, closer to an hour and a half.

- What, I...

- The F-40's a little logy.

It's an excellent plane, Russell.

Regardless, China will see this as a major provocation.

Not only could they respond militarily, but they could also pull out of the Fair Work and Trade Agreement, which we are this close to signing, and which will protect the health and safety of literally millions of workers around the world.

The F-40 is the lynchpin of our entire airborne m*llitary posture for decades to come, so it has to come first.

I understand, sir.

I'll have my department do a top secret feasibility review ASAP.

But...

of course, I-I can't guarantee a specific outcome.

- We hear you, Bess.

- Totally get it.

Huh.

That'll be all.

Mr. President.

Matt.

Whoa...

what?

What?

- Here.

- Okay.

Waffles.

Oh, buddy.

You're in a little Waffles cone.

It's not funny.

- Oh, it is a little funny.

- Not to me.

Because I had to take him to the 24-hour vet at 5:30 in the morning.

Joanna threw a toy from her high chair and scratched his cornea.

- What?

- So for the next three days at work, you need to give him these drops every three hours, - Uh-huh.

- this pain pill every four hours, - Uh-huh.

- and this antibiotic every six hours, with food.

- Got it?

Great.

- Wait.

(STAMMERS)

Why me?

Because you know my mom only does babysitting, not doggie daycare, but the dog walker won't give him the medication for insurance reasons, so that means that I have to bring him here.

But I am neck-deep in messaging on the Fair Work and Trade Agreement and I need to focus.

Oh, yeah, and because when I adopted Waffles, you said you'd help.

Hey, I do help.

I play ball with him in the park.

That's not help, that's fun.

This is help.

So, help.

Okay, okay.

I'm on it.

Geez.

Oh, Mommy got all upset, didn't she?

Yes, she did.

Now, you be a good boy till I come back, okay?

Remember: with food.

ELIZABETH: To conclude, I think the best strategy is to get the Fair Work and Trade Agreement wrapped up, finally, and as quickly as possible, and to lock in all the gains we can before China gets wind of the potential sale of the F-40s.

Obviously, that means keep a tight circle.

Meanwhile, I'd like all relevant departments to get their recommendations on the sale to my office by the end of the week so we can make a determination to pass on to the White House.

Sound good?

Gary, does Political-m*llitary Affairs have concerns?

Um, I mean, don't you?

Many, which I have expressed to POTUS, yet here we are.

- Wow.

- Uh, you're welcome to share yours.

Well, for starters, the shortest road to World w*r III probably runs through the Taiwan Strait.

So, there's that.

China has been increasingly overt in its effort to force Taiwan into reintegrating, yes.

Which Taiwan resists, in part, because they know there is at least an implied promise of U.S.

support.

And we maintain the status quo through the problematic but effective policy of strategic ambiguity.

ELIZABETH: Right.

We-we know.

So what's your point?

That.

That is my point.

It-it...

(CHUCKLES)

It's a very delicate balance here and-and it's...

hmm.

L-Look, does Taiwan want an effective m*llitary deterrent?

Of course.

But they don't want to annoy China into actually invading them, which is exactly what this deal could do.

So you're saying Taiwan may not want the F-40s.

Not "may not," ma'am.

Definitely won't.

JAY: Then perhaps, as we do from time to time, we incentivize the purchase.

A loan to offset the costs.

Sure.

Why not?

We'll get to work drafting a proposal.

Super.

Blake will liaise with your department on that.

And I don't disagree with you, Gary.

State will give POTUS an honest assessment of the potential impact of the deal, and hopefully, that'll be the end of it.

But at the end of the day, we serve at the pleasure.

Understood, ma'am.

Good.

Thanks, everybody.

BLAKE: We're giving Taiwan money to buy jets they don't want because we don't want them, either?

It makes sense once you accept that it doesn't.

Talk about strategic ambiguity.

This town's built on it.

Buy me a drink sometime and I'll explain how untrammeled corporate greed distorts our foreign policy and will one day lead to the collapse of the United States and very probably, civilization writ large.

Sounds fun.

Okay.

Later.

See you.

HENRY: Hey, babe.

Hey, how was your joyride?

Was it joyful?

Did you have a joyful ride?

- It was so great.

- Uh-huh.

I mean, like I told Jeff, the plane's kind of a brick, but it was fantastic being up there again.

Well, I'm glad you had fun, because waiting for you on the ground was a real treat for me.

- (CHUCKLES)

- Mm-hmm.

(SIGHS)

Bed.

Hey, why do you say that the F-40 is a brick?

Well, to be fair, there's a lot of impressive aspects...

the avionics, the sensor suite.

Like, if a bandit locks you up...

- Back to English, honey.

- Uh, sorry.

Basically, it has all these bells and whistles, like stealth technology, but they had to give up a lot of performance to cram it all in there.

Plus, they're trying to make one fighter jet to meet the needs of three different branches of the m*llitary.

It's kind of like a fighter by committee.

(LAUGHS): That's a ringing endorsement.

- (PHONE VIBRATING)

- Too slow to fight, too big to fail.

(MOANS)

Yes?

Evening, Minister Chen.

This is a surprise.

"Surprise" is indeed an apt word, Madam Secretary.

China had already made its extreme displeasure over your proposed arms sale to the breakaway province of Taiwan quite clear to Washington.

But now we learn that you plan (MOUTHING)

to add insult to injury.

Uh, I'm not sure that I follow, Ming.

If you attempt to sell Taiwan even one F-40 fighter...

China will regard that as a grave provocation and respond accordingly.

Ming, I don't know where you heard...

To begin with...

we will suspend our participation in the Fair Work and Trade Agreement.

More to the point: we will prepare ourselves militarily against this dire thr*at to Chinese sovereignty.

I warn you, Madam Secretary, you are crossing a red line.

How the hell did China find out about the F-40 sale to Taiwan so quick?

Mr. President, NSA intercepted communications between Chinese officials referencing an internal State Department memo generated by the Bureau of Political-m*llitary Affairs.

So you're saying the leak came from my shop?

Certainly appears that way.

DOJ and FBI is opening an investigation to find the source.

We'd appreciate your cooperation, Madam Secretary.

Of course.

My department's at your disposal, whatever you want.

We, uh, have to stay away from it.

So the investigation stays free of any political interference.

Yes, clearly.

We're only talking a few dozen potential suspects here.

Whoever it is might be close to home.

You sure it'll be so clear then?

Yeah, Russell, I am.

Do you have a suspect?

We do.

DALTON: Good.

Meanwhile, we'll, uh, move forward with the sale of the jets to Taiwan.

Mr. President, I can tell when Chen is posturing.

Tonight, he was not.

Neither am I.

China doesn't get to infiltrate the top echelon of our government and then turn around and say that we're not playing fair.

It demands a tough response.

I understand that, but I'm just saying that there could be repercussions.

There always are.

That's all.

♪ Not in trouble, am I?

ELIZABETH: Well, I think under those circumstances...

BLAKE: Ma'am?

You wanted to see me?

Yeah.

Blake, thanks for coming in.

These are Special Agents Smalls and Brock from the FBI.

They just want to ask you a few questions.

Please, have a seat, Mr. Moran.

(QUIETLY): O-Okay.

I'm not just there for the good times.

It's like, I-I pitch in whenever she asks me to.

It's like, how am I supposed to know that-that she needs help if she doesn't speak to me?

It's like, you know, hello?

I'm not a mind reader.

I mean, I get that she's got a lot on her plate, but I'm-I'm pretty busy, too.

You know?

You know?

I'm either...

calling Captain Ronnie crazy early in the morning, crazy late at night in Korea, it's just...

it's exhausting.

(SIGHS)

There's more than one side to the story, - is all I'm trying to say.

- (WHINES)

Oh, look.

It's first thing in the morning, and I'm already tired.

(WHIMPERS)

Listen, buddy, I'm gonna...

just close my eyes for a hot sec.

Before the day gets going, so...

If you want to cuddle with me...

(SNORING SOFTLY)

- Catch up with you guys in a minute.

- Sure.

Matt!

You got to stop doing that.

I thought you had him.

I thought I had him, too.

- Bad dog.

- No.

Bad you.

- (GRUNTS)

- Careful.

Not cool, little dude.

Not cool.

The evidence points to the leaker being someone from Pol-Mil.

Currently, our prime suspect is Deputy Assistant Secretary Martin.

You think Gary Martin is a spy?

I'm sorry, that just seems a bit, uh...

far-fetched.

How would you describe your relationship with the undersecretary, Mr.

Moran?

Um...

we've worked on a few projects together, so, friendly, I guess.

I mean, as friendly as you can be with a professional grouch.

- So you would say he's disgruntled?

- Uh, no.

No, I-I don't mean that.

(STAMMERING): I think that...

He has a long and well-documented history of fierce criticism of U.S.

foreign policy.

Just as I'm sure long-time DOJ hands have criticism of U.S.

criminal justice policy.

And numerous personal contacts within the Chinese m*llitary and intelligence establishment.

Yes, that-that's his job.

I'm-I'm sorry.

Blake, I admire Gary, too.

But the bottom line is that his office generated a highly classified memo that...

in less than a single day, found its way into the hands of the Chinese.

I offered my department's support of this investigation because it represents a grave thr*at to our national security.

But you're not obligated to participate, so...

if you don't want to do so, you're free to go.

♪ You know, every time I passed by this place, I thought it was out of business.

Possibly condemned.

No, just defiantly un-yuppified.

Old-school.

You could smoke in here until, like, last year.

Evening, guys.

Get you started with a cocktail?

No thanks, they don't make me those anymore.

Ginger ale, please.

Uh, can I see your wine list?

Yeah.

I'll have a martini with, uh, your least-worst vodka.

Sure.

BLAKE: Gary, why did you say we should get a drink if you don't drink?

It's a thing people say.

Let's cut to the chase.

No one from work wants to hang out with me socially.

Ever.

Go figure.

So, my guess is that the secretary sent you here to find something out.

Sound about right?

BLAKE: Gary, don't you think you're being just a little...

paranoid here?

Castle, this is Ranger.

We're inside the apartment.

GARY: That's what Meg says, too.

My girlfriend.

Yeah, I don't know why she stays with me, either.

But I always say, "No, honey, I just see things clearly." So...

What would the secretary even want to know about?

Deflecting my question with a leading question of your own.

I can see why you're sh**ting up the ranks.

Maybe the secretary wants to check in after my little rant about the Taiwan deal.

Am I right?

Look, am I passionate about wanting this country to base its foreign policy on our values...

instead of some defense contractor's bottom line?

Yes.

About the fact that State often gets overruled while the Pentagon drains the nation's coffers to the tune of literally trillions of dollars to make us less safe over the long term?

Sure.

Guilty.

But ask the secretary.

Since when is caring a crime?

Anyway.

To seeing things clearly.

Yeah.

Cheers.

NOLAN: Mr. President, it appears...

that Undersecretary Martin is not responsible for the leak.

Our investigators determined that the memo file on his laptop had been copied onto a USB drive.

We caught a lucky break when we found a purchase for a USB drive on the credit card statement of this woman.

His long-time girlfriend, Megan Morrison.

So, she has some connection to the Chinese.

Actually, sir, under questioning, she revealed that she passed along the State Department memo to an employee at Fossor Industries.

- Are you kidding?

- (SCOFFS)

What?

She was a spy...

for Fossor?

And then unknown parties at the company appear to have passed it on to Chinese intelligence.

Why on earth would one of our nation's top defense contractors pass secrets to an adversary?

Because if State recommended the U.S. not sell Taiwan the extra 20 F-40s, that could throw the sale of the other 80 into doubt.

Then we'd be talking billions of dollars, years of R&D down the drain.

ELIZABETH: But if China found out about the sale, they'd hit the roof, and thr*aten holy hell if we went through with it.

Which, in turn, would ensure that we would.

Son of a bitch.

Fossor's trying to box us in.

Not if I have anything to say about it.

I want to have a little talk with Fossor's CEO.

So are we sure about this?

Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Sir, Fossor has widespread support on the Hill.

Angry as I am, this is not a fight we're prepared for.

Nevertheless, it's the fight we're in.

They put their corporate interests above the United States, they have to pay a price.

It's a big swing, Mr. President.

There could be major m*llitary readiness issues downstream.

Which is the problem, in my view.

We've become so dependent on companies like Fossor that we're scared to hold them accountable.

This is exactly the kind of corrosive situation that Eisenhower warned us about in his "m*llitary-industrial complex" speech.

Hank.

As to the particular legal question at hand, you're on solid ground, sir.

Well, I for one am a little tired of the tail wagging the dog, so...

let's go.

CHAMPLIN: Mr. President, we've received the subpoena and have been in touch with the Justice Department.

The charges against Fossor are scurrilous and absurd, and we intend to fight them to the last breath.

It's also highly improper for you to be contacting us at all.

Oh, I can assure you, I wouldn't do anything to compromise the case, Mr. Champlin.

We're calling for another reason.

Secretary Becker.

Mr. Champlin, on behalf of the Department of Defense, I am formally alerting you that we are exercising our "Termination of Convenience" clause with respect to the F-40.

You can't just cancel a $31 billion contract.

NOLAN: With all due respect, Mr.

Champlin, yes, we can.

And we are.

I'm very sorry to hear that, Mr. President.

Good day, Mr. Champlin.

- I can't believe it.

- M-Sec thought you should know.

Wait, so, h-his girlfriend was some kind of sleeper agent for Fossor the whole time?

Uh... they got their hooks into her a few years back.

She had debts.

Fossor knew that Gary played an important role in vetting overseas arms sales, so they kept her in their back pocket until they needed her.

What's gonna happen to Gary?

Well, career-wise, he's toast.

You don't take top secret files home on your laptop.

The good news is, now that the F-40s aren't going to Taiwan, the Fair Work and Trade Agreement's back on the table with China.

The secretary's planning an off-books meeting with Chen in Quebec to try and get him on board again.

And if she does, then we got a lot of work to do.

So, be ready to rock and roll, okay?

Yeah, absolutely.

Man...

poor Gary.

- I-I just feel bad is all.

- Don't.

He was a suspect in a massive intelligence breach.

You were on the right side.

Hey, I-I know Gary wasn't your cup of tea, but why are you being so harsh about this?

Because this work we do is life or death, and the parties that we deal with are playing for keeps.

And they'll exploit any weakness that they can find.

And you need to understand that from the jump if you don't want to wind up like Gary, okay?

Okay.

CHEN: If the illegal and provocative sale of F-40 fighters to the breakaway province of Taiwan is in fact cancelled, then I see no reason why we cannot continue negotiations on the Fair Work and Trade Agreement.

That's great.

Great.

Well, I look forward to working with you again.

On behalf of the rest of the world, I say it's about time.

(SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE)

Well, I'm not entirely surprised, but I am relieved that we were able to have such a productive conversation.

As am I, Elizabeth.

I think the most surprising part of the evening was...

they really do say "aboot." (LAUGHING)

(CAMERA CLICKING)

JAY: This isn't gonna surprise anyone, but China's demanding a last-minute change on one of the provisions in the Fair Work and Trade Agreement, so now we have to contact all the other signatory countries - to get their feedback.

- That's crazy.

If China wants the change, why don't they contact all the other countries?

Well, look, China's giving up a lot just by signing the agreement.

So?

So, we got China into this.

The least America can do is help out a little, Matt.

Maybe if China was being honest and communicative about their needs, America wouldn't have to scramble to pick up the slack, Daisy.

Well, maybe if America was a tiny bit more sensitive - to what China's been going through...

- Oh, sensitive?

Sensitive?

Maybe China and America should talk about this somewhere else.

Okay, everybody, let's circle back to this in five.

Matt, Daisy.

Well, I'm sorry I encouraged you to adopt Waffles, who you totally love.

I guess I am the bad guy here.

- No, no, just the unreliable guy.

- (SCOFFS)

JAY: Okay, so I understand...

we're negotiating an historic agreement with our greatest rival, and you guys are quarreling about a dog?

Well, anything sounds trivial when you put it like that.

All right, well, Abby and I have had a lot of success in dealing with scheduling issues around, uh, childcare, by sharing a calendar.

Could that be an answer?

He'd probably just sleep through the alerts.

- I fell asleep one time.

- Yeah, in one day.

Okay, okay.

Daisy, how much time per week do you need someone to take Waffles?

Honestly, right now, three days.

And you know my building doesn't allow pets.

So what do you want me to do about that?

Oh, come on.

(CRYING): I'm sorry.

What's going on?

DAISY: Matt's right.

He did say at the outset his building doesn't allow dogs.

But I was concerned, when I first adopted Waffles, that I wouldn't have the resources to take care of him in the way that he deserves.

And as much as it breaks my heart...

...I think I'm gonna have to find a new home for him.

Wait, are you serious?

You got any better ideas?

Oh, sorry, am I...

No, it's fine.

What's up, Nina?

The secretary wants to see you right away.

ELIZABETH: I didn't push POTUS - into anything.

- RUSSELL: Oh, come on.

We both know you've got his ear.

You-you wanted to see me, ma'am?

- (SIGHS)

Yes.

- We've got a problem.

We won't get into of whose making it is.

I thought we could use your expertise from your time on the Hill.

I didn't.

This happened just a few minutes ago.

- Congressman Brandt.

- Here we go.

Ladies and gentlemen, please.

When I heard that President Dalton ordered the cancellation of the F-40 fighter...

the key to our nation's future air defense...

I was alarmed.

When I found out why, I became enraged.

Turns out the president just can't bring himself to sell 20 F-40s to our good friends in Taiwan, who so desperately want and need them.

- Okay, that's a lie.

- Oh, he's just getting started.

And why?

Because he and Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord thought it was more important to appease their real friends, the Chinese.

Look how cozy those two are.

That's why I've introduced an emergency rider to the upcoming spending bill.

The president may be comfortable with k*lling tens of thousands of jobs across the nation, endangering our friends in Taiwan, and putting our nation's security at risk, but I am not.

- Thank you.

- (REPORTERS CLAMORING)

Fossor's flexing its muscle on the Hill to try to force us to go through with the contract.

Unbelievable.

So, unless the three of us figure something out quick, looks like our only choice is either to - shut down the government or...

- (THUNDER CRASHES)

let them get away with it.

You hear that?

That's the sound of Eisenhower turning in his grave.

I'm on record as having doubts.

Well, we have to at least give Congress a chance to do the right thing and vote no on that stupid rider.

Well, forgive me if I'm less than sanguine about appealing to the better angels of the hacks on the Appropriations Committee.

- Any better ideas?

David, hi.

- Hi.

Thank you for coming to represent Taiwan.

And, Jeff, thank you for pulling this together on such short notice, and with such discretion.

I'm pretty curious why POTUS tried to cancel the Fossor deal in the first place.

Well, it's a...

(CHUCKLES)

It's a doozy.

I'm all ears.

ELIZABETH: Hi, everyone.

Thank you for coming.

I know the president's cancellation of the contract with Fossor caught many of you off guard.

So let me say that we well understand the historic and important role that Fossor Industries plays in our national defense.

Not to mention the tens of thousands of jobs they create.

And we should hasten to add the F-40's an excellent plane.

Yeah.

But the fact is... Fossor engaged in espionage against the State Department, and then leaked top secret material pertaining to the potential sale of the F-40 to the Chinese to force us to go forward with the deal.

Lastly, Congressman Brandt falsely claimed that Taiwan desperately wants those extra F-40s.

To rebut that assertion once and for all, I yield the floor to David Yu, from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

We don't want the jets.

Seriously, we don't.

Please don't send them.

Thank you, David.

Thanks.

If you vote for Brandt's rider, you'll be voting to risk shutting down the government, endangering the national interest on behalf of a company whose actions show it only cares for its own.

Please...

vote no.

ELIZABETH: Thank you for your time.

GROUP: Thank you.

HENRY: Jeff.

Hey.

What was the sense in the room?

(SIGHS)

Hard to say.

What?

Did they not hear what Elizabeth said?

Look, as long as these spying allegations against Fossor remain unproven, members have political cover to stick with them.

- Wow.

- There's a facility in my district.

Manufactures the wing-fluid delivery systems for the F-40.

That's 200 high-paying American jobs.

Adding the tax base, local businesses...

More important, they're not just jobs.

They're people.

Look, Jeff, I'm not a congressman.

But I was a Marine pilot, just like you.

And I swore an oath to defend the Constitution, not a corporation.

And I sure as hell wouldn't send one of my brothers and sisters in arms on a sortie in a plane I didn't believe in.

The Secretary of Defense says it's fine.

Well, you know better?

Okay.

Thanks for setting the meeting up.

Tell me that's ginger ale.

Listen, I appreciate the concern, I guess, but how about we take a rain check on whatever this is?

I wanted to say I'm sorry.

For pretending to be my friend so the Feds could toss my place?

Hey, no problem, pal.

I'm lucky they didn't fire me.

I screwed up with the laptop, I own that.

But you know what really hurts?

I mean, bes...

besides the Meg of it all, which I won't go into, other than to say I spent the last ten Thanksgivings with her senile, but also r*cist dad, which was a barrel of laughs, and this is the thanks I get.

What hurts is that they could think that someone who has fought as hard as I have to make our foreign policy actually line up with our values could be a spy, that I would ever sell this country out.

Ah...

That hurts pretty damn bad.

What do you do now?

Um...

take my pension, get out of Dodge.

Find a small town, lay low for a while.

What about Boston?

I checked in with some friends at Harvard.

The Kennedy School is looking for a Senior Fellow.

You'd make a great teacher, Gary.

Eh, you're just saying that 'cause I rant a lot.

Yeah.

It'd be your dream job.

You know, for a seventh floor type, you got a big heart.

Too big, I'm told.

Listen to me, to keep fighting the good fight in this line of work, you have to have a big heart because it's constantly being chipped away at.

See?

Natural teacher.

(SIGHS)

I really will think it over.

It's ginger ale, by the way.

Oh.

I'm glad.

Do you mind if I have...

No.

Knock yourself out.

I'll have a martini.

- Hi, Russell, come on in.

- Evening.

I was on my way home.

- Hey.

- ELIZABETH: Hey.

Thought I'd give you the inspiring news in person.

Well, you don't look inspired.

Unofficial whip count looks like the spending bill with Brandt's rider has the votes to override a veto.

We just met with the committee members a few hours ago.

How can there already be a whip vote?

Amazing how fast Congress can move when their own reelections are at stake.

So I guess America's gonna buy those planes, whether we need them or not.

Oh, and word is your buddy Jeff Pearson's a yes, too.

(CHUCKLES): Well...

don't stand there looking all wounded, like I just told you the Easter Bunny's not real.

This is Washington, kids, and I told you we weren't ready for this fight.

If Congress jams that rider through, China will hit back quickly.

They'll pull out of the Fair Work and Trade Agreement.

They'll step up naval activity in the Taiwan Strait.

RUSSELL: Our hands are tied.

They won.

No company should get to dictate to the United States government.

DALTON: You know, for a president who took some grief about playing too much golf, Eisenhower got a lot done.

The interstate highway system, fighting for desegregation, pushing back the Soviets.

But that famous speech about the...

m*llitary-industrial complex?

That was his final speech in office.

Do you think there was a reason for that?

An effective president gets two or three things done that really move the country forward.

A truly excellent one, maybe four.

I think you'll be an excellent one.

Well, thank you, sir.

- But...

- The point is, if you want to bring Fossor and its ilk to heel, Godspeed.

Just be sure that that's the most important thing to you because there won't be much room for anything else.

- Understood, sir.

- What's the word, Hank?

Mr. President, I wanted to apprise you personally of some developments in the Fossor case.

sh**t.

Based on an anonymous tip, we've uncovered a pattern at Fossor of some very serious public corruption, including numerous campaign finance violations.

What, the dark money they already dump into campaigns, but legally don't even have to report, wasn't quite enough for them, huh?

How high up does the corruption go?

Thanks, Jose.

Lot of guys would be mad they skulled that last sh*t, but not me, 'cause what do I always say?

"Adversity is opportunity," sir.

(CHUCKLES)

That's right.

Okay.

Hit the sand behind the ball.

Easy power, easy power.

Uh, sir...

- Sir.

- What, Jose?

James Champlin?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- I wouldn't know, either.

- Oh, Congressman Chivvers.

Congressman Faustino, - Congresswoman Robertson.

Good to see you.

Guessing you just heard about James Champlin's arrest.

That's quite a list of charges.

All those allegations of campaign finance violations...

(CLICKS TONGUE)

Who knows where that's gonna go.

CHIVVERS: We're not going to support Brandt's rider, if that's what you want to know.

FAUSTINO: Support among members is...

falling.

It's crashing back to Earth and breaking up on reentry, Herb.

Well, you're the one that twisted my arm, Susan.

- We needed those jobs...

- (OVERLAPPING ARGUING)

(ARGUING CONTINUES)

Well, thank you for this glimpse into your deliberative process.

(ARGUING CONTINUES)

Waffles can stay with me three days a week.

I know you mean well, but this is actually - really difficult...

- No.

No, no, no.

Listen, I spoke to my landlord, and he agreed to make an exception in this case.

Why?

Because I'm a terrific tenant, and he doesn't want to lose me, and I might've also said that Waffles is an emotional support dog.

That you only have part-time?

Mr. Manukian is old, okay?

It's possible he might not have heard everything I said.

The point is, it worked.

Or it will, as long as Waffles...

wears this.

Come here.

- Who's good?

- I don't know if this is right.

Good.

Think of it this way: Waffles is emotionally supporting you by staying with me three days a week.

All right.

Come here, baby.

(GRUNTS)

Does that work?

I'm sorry I got so mad.

I'm sorry you had to.

Looks like he's the one who needs the support.

(CHUCKLES)

I don't know.

I feel better already.

How about you?

Yeah.

Do you want to go home?

Thanks, man.

Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.

You were right, I don't totally understand all the pressures you're under as a congressman.

So you know, I was prepared to vote "yes" on the Brandt rider.

Might not have been the gutsiest vote I ever took, but in any case, it's moot now.

Well, I just didn't want you to think I was moralizing at you.

Not to worry.

You know something, Hank, you always did see things pretty clearly, how they might play out.

You definitely clocked this situation with Fossor better than I did.

Until recently, anyway.

The anonymous source that tipped off the DOJ...

Like you said, end of the day, I'm still a Marine.

Oorah.

- (LAUGHTER)

- Bess.

Mr. President.

- Join us for a toast.

- Love to.

BECKER: There you are.

- Thank you.

- Mm-hmm.

There's a lot to be proud of.

Yeah.

James Champlin and Fossor will have to answer for their corruption in court, the Fair Work and Trade Agreement is back on track, and we're only buying 80 F-40 fighters, as we originally agreed.

BECKER: Pretty good day's work, I'd say.

I'm sorry, excuse me?

The scandal brought Fossor back to the table.

They agreed to eat the cost of the additional 20 jets, so we won't have to.

We got what we wanted.

We won.

No, we won before, when the contract was cancelled altogether.

That would've left us with no next-generation fighters - in the pipeline.

- You said we could retrofit the YF-31.

Well, guess who revised their budget estimates upward?

- The manufacturer of the YF-31.

- Yes.

But we had leverage.

Fossor's the devil we know at this point.

Yes, but they are still the devil, and the F-40 is still an overpriced albatross and the whole system needs to be changed.

Sir...

We fought the world's largest defense contractor to a draw.

With these people, that's as close to a win as you're gonna get.

- Now, can we drink, finally?

- Mm.

Actually, I'm already a little dizzy.

I think I'll say good night.

Thank you.

I told you before, Bess, if you want to use up your presidency fighting for that win, be my guest.

You can count on it, sir.

Due respect, sir, I would call this a win, for you and the American people.

Because look it, at the end of the day, the F-40's an excellent plane.